THE LADIES AT LONGBARNS DOUBT.
It came at last to be decided among them that when old Mr Wharton returned to town,--and he had now been at Wharton longer than he had ever been known to remain there before,--Emily should still remain in Hertfordshire, and that at some period not then fixed she should go for a month to Longbarns.There were various reasons which induced her to consent to this change of plans.In the first place she found herself to be infinitely more comfortable in the country than in the town.She could go out and move about and bestir herself, whereas in Manchester Square she could only sit at home.Her father had assured her that he thought that it would be better that she should be away from the reminiscences of the house in town.And then when the first week of February was past Arthur would be up in town, and she would be far away from him at Longbarns, whereas in London she would be close within his reach.Many little schemes were laid and struggles made both by herself and the others before at last their plans were settled.Mr Wharton was to return to London in the middle of January.It was quite impossible that he could remain longer away either from Stone Buildings or from the Eldon, and then at the same time, or a day or two following, Mrs Fletcher was to go back to Longbarns.John Fletcher and his wife and children were already gone;--and Arthur also had been at Longbarns.The two brothers and Everett had been backwards and forwards.Emily was anxious to remain at Wharton at any rate till Parliament should have met, so that she might not be at home with Arthur in his own house.But matters would not arrange themselves exactly as she wished.It was at last settled that she should go to Longbarns with Mary Wharton under the charge of John Fletcher in the first week in February.As arrangements were already in progress for the purchase of Barnton Spinnies, Sir Alured could not possibly leave his own house.Not to have walked through the wood on the first day it became part of the Wharton property would to him have been treason to the estate.
His experience ought to have told him that there was no chance of a lawyer and a college dealing together with such rapidity; but in the present state of things he could not bear to absent himself.Orders had already been given for the cutting down of certain trees which could not have been touched had the reprobate lived, and it was indispensable that if a tree fell at Wharton he should see the fall.It thus came to pass that there was a week during which Emily would be forced to live under the roof of the Fletchers together with Arthur Fletcher.
The week came and she was absolutely received by Arthur at the door of Longbarns.She had not been at the house since it had first been intimated to the Fletchers that she was disposed to receive with favour the addresses of Ferdinand Lopez.As she remembered this it seemed to her to be an age ago since that man had induced her to believe that of all the men she had ever met he was the nearest to a hero.She never spoke of him now, but of course her thoughts of him were never ending,--as also of herself in that she had allowed herself to be so deceived.She would recall to her mind with bitter inward sobbings all those lessons of iniquity which he had striven to teach her, and which had first opened her eyes to his true character--how sedulously he had endeavoured to persuade her that it was her duty to rob her father on his behalf, how continually he had endeavoured to make her think that appearance in the world was everything, and that, being in truth poor adventurers, it behoved them to cheat the world into thinking them rich and respectable.Every hint that had been so given had been a wound to her, and those wounds were all now remembered.Though since his death she had never allowed a word to be spoken in her presence against him, she could not but hate his memory.How glorious was that other man in her eyes, as he stood there at the door welcoming her to Longbarns, fair-haired, open-eyed, with bronzed brow and cheek, and surly the honestest face that a loving woman ever loved to gaze on.During the various lessons she had learned in her married life, she had become gradually but surely aware that the face of that other man had been dishonest.She had learned the false meaning of every glance of his eyes, the subtlety of his mouth, the counterfeit manoeuvres of his body,--the deceit even of his dress.He had been all a lie from head to foot, and he had thrown her love aside as useless when she also would not be a liar.And here was this man,--spotless in her estimation, compounded of all good qualities, which she could now see and take at their proper value.She hated herself for the simplicity with which she had been cheated by soft words and a false demeanour into so great a sacrifice.
Life at Longbarns was very quiet during the days which she passed there before she left them.She was frequently alone with him, but he, if he still loved her, did not speak of his love.He explained it all one day to his mother.'If it is to be,' said the old lady, 'I don't see the use of more delay.Of course the marriage ought not to be till March twelvemonths.But if it is understood that it is to be, she might alter her dress by degrees,--and alter her manner of living.These things should always be done by degrees.I think it had better be settled, Arthur, if it is to be settled.'
'I am afraid, mother.'
'Dear me! I didn't think you were the man ever to be afraid of a woman.What can she say to you?'
'Refuse me.'
'Then you had better know at once.But I don't think she'll be fool enough for that.'
'Perhaps you hardly understand her, mother.'
Mrs Fletcher shook her head with a look of considerable annoyance.'Perhaps not.But, to tell you the truth, I don't like young women whom I can't understand.Young women shouldn't be mysterious.I like people of whom I can give a pretty good guess what they'll do.I'm sure I never could have guessed that she would have married that man.'